Iceland moss

Iceland moss (Cetraria islandica) is a lichen whose erect or upright, leaflike habit gives it the appearance of a moss, where its name likely comes from.

Description

It is often of a pale chestnut color, but varies considerably, being sometimes almost entirely greyish-white; and grows to a height of from 3 to 4 in., the branches being channelled or rolled into tubes, which end in flattened lobes with fringed edges.

Range

It grows abundantly in the mountainous regions of northern countries, and it is specially characteristic of the lava slopes and plains of the west and north of Iceland. It is found on the mountains of north Wales, northern England, Scotland and south-west Ireland. In North America its range extends through Arctic regions, from Alaska to Newfoundland, and south in the Rocky Mountains to Colorado, and to the Appalachian Mountains of New England.

Composition

In commerce it is a light-grey harsh cartilaginous body, almost colorless, and tastes slightly bitter. It contains about 70% of lichenin or lichen-starch, a body isomeric with common starch, but without structure. It also yields a peculiar modification of chlorophyll (called thallochlor), fumaric acid, lichenostearic acid, and cetraric acid (which gives it the bitter taste). It forms a nutritious and easily digested amylaceous food, being used in place of starch in some preparations of cocoa. It also contains lichesterinic acid and protolichesterinic acids.

Moss

Mosses are small flowerless plants that typically grow in dense green clumps or mats, often in damp or shady locations. The individual plants are usually composed of simple, one-cell thick leaves, attached to a stem that may be branched or unbranched and has only a limited role in conducting water and nutrients. Although some species have vascular tissue this is generally poorly developed and structurally different from similar tissue found in other plants. They do not have seeds and after fertilisation develop sporophytes (unbranched stalks topped with single capsules containing spores). They are typically 0.2–10 cm (0.1–3.9 in) tall, though some species are much larger, like Dawsonia, the tallest moss in the world, which can grow to 50 cm (20 in) in height.

Mosses are commonly confused with lichens, hornworts, and liverworts. Lichens may superficially look like mosses, and have common names that include the word "moss" (e.g., "reindeer moss" or "iceland moss"), but are not related to mosses. Mosses, hornworts, and liverworts are collectively called "bryophytes". Bryophytes share the property of having the haploid gametophyte generation as the dominant phase of the life cycle. This contrasts with the pattern in all "vascular" plants (seed plants and pteridophytes), where the diploid sporophyte generation is dominant.

Moss (language)

Moss is a musical language designed by composer Jackson Moore. It has a phonology based on elementary melodic distinctions, and a simple lexicon and grammar inspired by pidgins. Moore teaches Moss at Bruce High Quality Foundation University.

External links

Moss (film)

Moss (Hangul: 이끼; RR: Iggi) is a 2010 South Korean mystery thriller film directed by Kang Woo-suk. It was based on the hugely popular webtoon of the same title by Yoon Tae-ho.

Plot

When Ryoo arrives in a remote rural village to settle the estate of his estranged father, he stumbles into a dark web of secrets and betrayals that have lain buried for thirty years. The village is ruled over by its sinister chief, Cheon, a former police detective, and his cabal of reformed criminals - who seem to have both hated and feared Ryoo’s late father. It quickly becomes clear that Ryoo’s presence is not wanted – and that Cheon and the others are hiding something terrible. Soon the unwelcome visitor finds his life threatened as the truth becomes ever more obscured and allegiances shift beneath his feet...

Cast

Iceland

Iceland (ⁱ/ˈaɪslænd/; Icelandic: Ísland [ˈistlant]), also called the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. It has a population of 329,100 and an area of 103,000 km² (40,000 sq mi), making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík. Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle. Its high latitude and marine influence still keeps summers chilly, with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate.

According to Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in the year 874 when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island. In the following centuries, mainly Norwegians and to a smaller extent other Scandinavians settled Iceland, bringing with them thralls of Gaelic origin. From 1262 to 1814, Iceland was ruled by Norway and afterwards by Denmark. Until the 20th century, the country relied largely on fishing and agriculture. Iceland became independent in 1918 and a republic in 1944. Industrialisation of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid following World War II brought prosperity and Iceland became one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world. In 1994, it became a part of the European Economic Area, which supported diversification into economic and financial services.

Iceland (album)

Iceland is an EP released by All About Eve in 2002. It was described mainly as a winter (rather than specifically Christmas) EP, although five out of seven of the songs do contain references to Christmas or are songs particularly connected with it.

Only Melting and Cold are new All About Eve-penned songs. "Last Christmas" is a cover of the Wham! song and "A Winter's Tale" is a cover of the Queen song. The two versions of "December" are takes on the original All About Eve song (as found on their second album Scarlet and Other Stories) and Walking in the Air is a radical re-working of the song made famous as theme music to The Snowman.

This album was made (and the songs performed) by Julianne Regan and Andy Cousin only, and did not include Robin Guy or Toni Haimi, the other band members at the time.

Track listing

External links

Iceland (film)

Iceland (1942) is a 20th Century Fox musical film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone set in Iceland, starring skater Sonja Henie and John Payne as a U.S. Marine posted in Iceland during World War II. The film was titled Katina in Great Britain and Marriage on Ice in Australia.

Fox reteamed their two leads and director from the previous year's musical Sun Valley Serenade and set the story in the then contemporary American Marine landing and occupation of Iceland in 1941. Payne had previously played a Marine in Fox's To the Shores of Tripoli also directed by Humberstone. Among the songs are "There Will Never Be Another You" and "You Can't Say No to a Soldier".

Some Icelanders protested against the film for its depiction of Marines winning away the local women. Henie's on-ice partner during the filmed skating sequences was 1940/41 U.S. Champion Eugene Turner.

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